Five big issues that FA chairman Greg Clarke has dealt with in the past year

1. Sam Allardyce departure

After just one match in charge of England, the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Football for Sale’ investigation shows Allardyce making a number of controversial comments to an undercover reporter.

Greg Clarke – along with chief executive Martin Glenn – decides Allardyce cannot continue as manager, with Gareth Southgate ultimately appointed to replace him. 

2. Mark Sampson sacking

Amid a racism storm to engulf Sampson, the Football Association receives a tip-off to read a 2½-year-old safeguarding report into the England Women manager.

Clarke and Glenn decide the report uncovered “inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour” involving players and terminate Sampson’s contract with immediate effect.

3. Child sexual abuse scandal

After Andy Woodward reveals he was abused by one of his coaches, hundreds of victims come forward in the game’s biggest scandal.

The FA sets up a major independent inquiry, which is still running, while Clarke meets victims and visits county FAs to ascertain the scale of the problem.

 4. FA governance reforms

The sports minister, Tracey Crouch, threatens to strip the FA of its public funding unless it ensures 30 per cent of its board is female and makes other governance changes.

Clarke succeeds where his three predecessors failed by convincing the FA council to vote for change following a tour of the country to gain support.

5. New £1 billion TV deal for the  FA Cup

The FA Cup is in danger of becoming a second-rate competition forever in the shadow of the mega-rich Premier League.

The FA secures a £1 billion six-year global television deal, going a long way to restoring  the competition’s lustre.